Stacking machanism



sept' .1942- F. M. CARROLL 2,294,718

STACKING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 6 eetsheet 1 k INVENTbR. REDM GAR/ L Sept.v1, 1942. F. M. CARR OLL 2 9 STACKING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 5223 W as: J

|| I {I} I 230 3 Q INVENTOR. FRED M. CARROLL BY ATTORNEYS.

p 1942- F. MJCARROLL 2,294,718

STACKING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 6 sheetls-sheet 3 mmvroa. FRED M. CARROLL BY Ar'romavs.

Sept. 1,1942. F. MI CARROLL 2,294,118

S'I'ACKING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 5 JLI: 21::

0/ v I 302 29? 282 3 500 f i i 93 an JNifENTOR, gIZED M. CARRUZL Sept 1, 1942.

F. M. CARROLL 2,294,718

STACKING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26,. 193'? 6 tshe t 6 FR FIGJO.

INVENTOR."

- FRED M. CARROLL Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED srrss sTAoKmG MECHANISM Fred M. Carroll, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to I International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York OFFICE 17 Claims.

This case relates to the stacking means of a machine for making record cards from a web and is a division of application Serial No. 205,721, filed May 3, 1938, which is itself a division of ap- Fig. 3 is a detail view taken as indicated by arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of part of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the card stacker table plication Serial No. 122,360, filed January 26, 5 and associated parts; 1937, and now Patent No. 2,181,935. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the stacker The general object of the present invention table actuating and stopping mechanism; is to provide novel stacking means capable of Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section of part of the receiving and stacking continually delivered stacker table and associated parts; articles. Fig. 8 is a detail view of part of the stacker More specifically, an object of the invention is table positioning means; to provide means responsive to the weight of the Fig. 9 is a detail, front view of the drive for stack for regulating the height of the stack. the stacker table actuating means and for the Another object is to provide a stacker with a card catcher, partly sectioned; I plurality of pockets successively brought to a Fig. 10 is a section on lines IIl-'-II] of Fig. 9; common stacking station under control of means Fig. 11 is a detail view of the control for the which senses the amount of articles in the stack. stacker stepping means;

The above object, more specifically, provides Fig. 12 is a detail View of the lower end of a for the sensing of the amount of articles in a guide plate for guiding an edge of the cards into stack by 'a common weight responsive means for a stacker pocket; all the pockets. Fig, 13 is the circuit diagram.

Another object is to provide a weight respon- As disclosed in my aforementioned Patent No. sive platform at the stacking station on which 2,181,935, a web is printed on and cut into inthe articles are deposited within the confines dividual cards which are successively delivered to of the pocket at this station and which platform clips I44 of a conveyor I40 (Figs. 2 and 4). The does not interfere with movement of the stacker conveyor comprises a wheel or drum I40 fast to during which one pocket leaves the receiving a shaft I42 which rigidly carries a gear I43 stations and the next pocket arrives at the stameshed with the driving mechanism. The drivtion, ing mechanism, acting through gear I43, contin- Still another object is to interrupt machine uously rotates drum I40. Spaced equal distances operation should a filled pocket attempt to rearound the circumference of drum I40 are the turn to the stacking station. clips I44, each to clamp a card against the pe- Another object is to provide means for receivriphery of the drum. The forward end of each ing the articles during the transition period when clip is bent away from the drum to facilitate one pocket is moving out of and the next pocket entry of a card into position between the drum moving to the stacking station. periphery and the clip jaw. The clip I44 is piv- In connection with the latter object, it is inoted to the rim of the drum by means of a wedgetended to provide for the receiving. means to shaped tip I44d at the rear end of the jaw I44 transfer the articles received thereby durin the seating in a V-shaped bearing notch formed in transition period to the pocket newly arrived at the rim of the drum, there being enough play the stacking station. between the tip and its seat to permit the clip to An additional object is to provide novel means rock about tip I441; relative to the drum. Ears for aligning the stack in two directions at right I442) of the clip straddle the sides of the drum angles to each other. rim and are connected to each other by a wire Other objects of the invention will be pointed 45 spring I 5, the ends of which are bent 1;0 p out in the following description and claims and vent the spring leaving the clip e and the illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which tral portion of which engages a i wa facing disclose, by way of example, the principle of annular rib I46 of wheel I40. Spring I45 is the invention and the best mode, which has been bowed by its engagement with rib I46 so as to contemplated, of applying that principle. 50 tend through clip ears I441), to rock the clip In the drawings: clockwise about tip I44a, to engage the face of Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the machine showthe clip with the drum periph ying the drive gearing and other parts; The cards are inserted in clips I44 while the Fig. 2 is a view of the upper left portion of the clips are traversing the right side of their circle machine; 5. of travel with the conveyor wheel I40. Each clip clamps one end of a card to the periphery of wheel I49 and this holds the card on the conveyor by one end while the rest of the card is free and extends generally tangentially to the conveyor wheel. As the conveyor rotates counterclockwise, the clips M4 which are clamping cards arrive in succession at the left side of their circle of travel where stacker means is provided to receive the cards. Before a clip reaches the position in which the card clamp thereby extends horizontally, the clip is operated to release the card and allow it to fall into the stacker. The release of the clip from the card is efiected by a stationary block 2m (Figs. 2 and 4) having an inclined cam surface 2!! which meets the extension I49 of the clip, and cams the clip extension downwardly to rock the clip counterclockwise. This action of the clip frees it from the inner, now right hand end of the card. Extension I49 continues to ride along the cam surface of block 250 to maintain the clip released from the card until the clip completely departs in a horizontal direction from the right hand or inner end of the card. At the moment of release of the card, its clip I44 is passing through a slot 2l2' of a vertical plate 2I2 (Figs. 2 to 5), and the card is substantially horizontal with its right hand edge, at either side of the clip, abutting the portions of plate 2l2 at opposite sides of slot 212'. Thus, as the clip continues its movement towards the right and passes freely through slot 212, the plate 252 positively prevents the card from following.

When the clip leaves the card, the latter drops, with its left, short, side edge (Figs 2 and 5) guided by plate I98, its right edge by plate H2, and its rear long edge by bar 269 and a parallel bar 2M (also see Figs. 3 and 4) secured to plate 2 l 2. As the card falls along these guide elements, means are provided to aline the card in one direction by pushing the card towards the bars .209 and 2 to positively engage the rear long side of the card with the latter bars. This is done by a vibrator structur comprising a pair of flappers 255 secured to a shaft 2l6 journals-d between plates I90 and H2 to extend parallel to the front of the bars 269 and 2M. At its right end, shaft 2E6 rigidly carries an arm 2i 1, the lower end of which engages a face cam 2-58 mounted on the end of a shaft 225 journaled by spaced, parallel, brackets 22! secured to the plate 212. Shaft 22% extends at right angles to shaft 2H3 and at the end opposite face cam 2|8 is provided with a pulley 222 which is connected by a driving belt 223 to the pulley 224 fast to a shaft 225 (also see Fig. 1) of the driving train. During operation of the driving train, it acts through shaft 225, pulley 224, belt 223, and pulley 222 to continuously rotate shaft 229. Face cam 2H8 on shaft 220 is thus repeatedly acting on arm 2!! of shaft 2E6 to rock the latter shaft clockwise (Fig. 3) against resistance of a spring 226 connected to arm Zn. The spring returns shaft 216 counterclockwise, during which time, flappers 215 on shaft M6 move towards the front long edge of the card to engage the card for pushing its rear long edge fiat against the alined surfaces of bars 259 and 2M. Thus, flappers 2|5 are continually, rapidly and repeatedly, vibrated or oscillated, being moved during one stroke under the influence of spring pressure by spring 226-towards the cards to move the cards into engagement with the faces of bars 229 and 2M. In this manner, the cards are alined in the direction of their width as they drop into a pocket of a stacker table 230.

The stacker table, for present purposes, has eight card receiving and stacking pockets. To form the eight pockets, the stacker table rigidly carries eight angle bars 23] (Figs. 2, 5, 7, and 12) eight bars 232, and eight rods 233. Each pocket is defined by the bent face or wall 23la of one angle bar for engaging the left, short, side of the card, the back of a wall 23th of the following angle bar for engaging the rear long slide of the card, a bar 232, and a rod 233.

When a stacker pocket is at the card receiving station, the bent wall 23la of an angle bar 23| is in the same vertical plane as the vertical lower portion of guide plate I (see Figs. 5 and 12), and the wall 23th of the following angle bar is slightly behind the vertical plane of guide bars 209 and 2M (see also Fig. 4). The lower end of guide plate I90 is cut away, as indicated in Fig. 12 to permit wall 2am to move into position below the guide plate and into the plane of the guide plate and also to permit the wall 23Ia to subsequently move freely past the guide plate. At the side of the cut away or recessed lower end of plate I90, the latter is formed with a depending projection 234 which extends vertically downward below the top of wall 23m. Thus, the lower portion of guide plate I90 and bent wall 2am occupy positions side by side in the same plane to engage the left, short, edge of a card as the card drops into the stacker pocket.

As indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and 7, wall 23!?) is cut away intermediately to accommodate the lower part of guide bar 229. This permits the portions of the wall 23% at either side of the cut out portion to occupy positions at either side of bar 209.

As the cards drop along the defining elements of the pocket in receiving position, they are also alined lengthwise, at right angles to the direction in which they were alined by vibrating flappers 2E5. To aline the cards lengthwise, shaft 220 carries a peripheral cam 235 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) engaged by the lug 236 formed at the rear of a plate lever 23? pivoted on a pin 23S mounted to plate 2E2. At its forward end lever 231 rigidly carries a paddle vibrator 239 which projects through a hole formed in plate 2i2 for the purpose of engaging the right hand, short side edges of the cards. Cam 235 positively rocks plate lever 23? clockwise (Fig. 4) to retract paddle 239 from the cards while a spring 220 connected to the plate lever returns the plate lever counterclockwise to engage the right hand edge of the cards for pushing them towards the left. Thus, the paddle 2353 is vibrated and during its spring-impelled strokes strikes the cards to engage the left edges of the cards with the pocket wall 23m and the guide plate IE5. The card is thus alined in two directions at right angles to each other, in one direction by flappers 2 i 5 and in the other direction by paddle 239. The cards will thus be evenly stacked in each receiving pocket of the stacker table.

The cards as they stack up in the pocket located in receiving position, are supported by a platform comprising a pair of horizontal plates 242 and 223 (Figs. 2, 5, and 7). Plate 243 is pivotally carried by plate 252 and is urged by a spring 244 connected to the two plates to remain in clockwise position (Fig. 5) against a stop pin 245 on plate 242.

Plate 242 is fastened to the lower'end of a carriage 246. The carriage 246 extends vertically and is divided to straddle a vertical rail 241 fixed to the frame. The carriage is mounted, through ball bearings, on rail 241 for vertical, slidable, movement. A coil spring 248 extends vertically alongside carriage 246, and is connected at its lower end to a bracket 249 fixed to the carriage and at its upper end to a rod 256 threaded in a block 25l secured to the frame. The rod 256 may be adjusted relative to block 25! to adjust the tension of coil spring 248 and thereby the amount of weight required to move the platform through its vertical stroke, from upper position, in which the top of its carriage 246 is against a leather bumper 252 to the lower position in which the platform is below the card supporting surface of the table, as shown in Fig. '7.

Coil spring 248 acts as an automatic weight counterbalance and stretches in accordance with the weight of a card stack on the platform plates 242 and 243. The weight of the card stack corresponds to the number of cards in the stack. Initially, when the platform 242243 is not loaded with any cards, the carriage and platform will be in uppermost positions under the influence of counterbalance spring 248. Then as the cards drop into the pocket in receiving position and onto the platform, the weight of the cards will lower the platform against resistance of spring 248. When the stack has .a desired number of cards, as determined by weight, the platform has been depressed to its lowermost position in which the plates 242 and 243, comprising the platform, lie below the surface of the stacker table.

Engaging the right side of carriage 246 is a roller 253 (see Figs. 2, 5, and 11) carried by the free end of an upright arm 254 secured to one end of a horizontal shaft 255. A spring 256 connected to arm 254 urges shaft 255 counterclockwise (Fig. 11) but this movement is normally limited by engagement of roller 253 with the right side of carriage 246. When the weight of cards resting on platform 242-243 has lowered carriage 246 to its lowest position (Fig. '1), then the top of the carriage side reaches roller 253. The roller thereupon is moved by spring 256 above the top of the carriage side, resulting in the rocking of shaft 255 counterclockwise (Fig. 11).

Shaft 255 by its counterclockwise movement controls means to rotate stacker table 236 one step to move the filled pocket away from receiving position and to bring the following empty pocket to the receiving station. The control by shaft 255 will now be explained. Referring to Figs. 5 and 9, shaft 255 carries a detent 268 which in the normal, clockwise position of the shaft engages the tail of a clutch pawl 26l to hold the pawl released from a tubular driving clutch member 262 (also see Fig. 10). Pawl 26l is pivotally carried by a driven clutch disk 263 and urged by a spring 264 between the disk and pawl to engage the teeth 265 out in the tube 262. The spring 264 is ineffective while detent 266 is engaging the tail of pawl 26!. When roller 253 moves above the top of carriage 246, then shaft 255 rocks counterclockwise, withdrawing detent 266 from pawl 26l, the nose of which thereupon engages a tooth 265 of driving clutch member 262. Driven disk 263 is thereby coupled for rotation to driving member 262.

Driven disk 263 is secured to the upper end of "a vertical shaft 266 journaled in the upper and -lower walls of a casing 26! fixed to the frame. a

Driving clutch tube 262. surrounds shaft 266 and is fastened to the hub of a worm gear 268. The hub of gear 268 encircles shaft 266 and is journaled for rotation thereby. At the same time, the hub of gear 268 rests on top of a bearing bushing 269 (see Fig. 10) located between casing 261 and shaft 266. Worm gear 268 is continuously rotated by a worm 216 fastened to a shaft 212 journaled on casing 261. Shaft 212 carries outside casing 261 a gear 213 which is in the driving gear train (also see Fig. 1).

When detent 266 releases clutch pawl 26!, the latter moves into engagement with a tooth 265 of the tubular driving clutch member 262 which is continuously rotating with worm gear 268.

Driven clutch disk 263 and its shaft 266 are now coupled for rotation to member 262. During one revolution of shaft 266, the stacker table 238 is rotated one step, removing the filled pocket from the receiving station. As the filled pocket leaves the receiving station, the back wall 23lb of this pocket which was just behind the faces of bars 269 and 2l4 moves against the rear long edges of the cards so as to move the card stack along with the pocket and off the platform 242-243. Consequently, with the platform unloaded, coil spring 248 raises carriage 246, thereby displacing roller 253 from the top of thecarriage and forcing shaft 255 to return clockwise (Fig. 9) to its normal position. This happens before the driven clutch disk 263 completes one revolution. Thus, at the end of the revolution, detent 266 carried by shaft 255 is in normal position, intercepts the tail of clutch pawl 26l, and releases the nose of the pawl from driving member 262. The

engagement of detent 266 with pawl 26I thus stops the pawl and its carrying disk 263 from further rotation with the driving mechanism. Likewise, the driven shaft 266 of disk 263 and the means associated therewith are arrested in their initial positions at the end of one revolution of shaft 266.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, driven shaft 266 carries at its lower end, external to casing 261, a cam 215 engaged by the roller 216 at the end of a follower arm 211 fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 218 (see also Fig. 5). Fastened to the lower end of shaft 213 is an arm 219 (Figs.

v5 to 8) connected at its rear end to a spring 286 which serves to urge shaft 218 counterclockwise thereby maintaining roller 216 against the periphery of cam 215.

Arm 219 is connected by a link 282 to a horizontally disposed plate 283 which is located between a shoulder 285 (Fig. 7) of hub 284 of stacker table 238 and the top of a ratchet disk 286, rigidly fastened to hub 284. Disk 286 has eight ratchet teeth 286a corresponding to the eight pockets of the stacker table. An actuating pawl 281 is pivotally mounted on plate 283 to engage'teeth 286a of disk 286. Between pawl 281 and plate 283 is a spring 288 for holding the nose of pawl 261 in engagement with disk 286.

During the one revolution of driven shaft 266, its cam 215 rocks follower arm 211, its shaft 218, and arm 219 thereof clockwise. As arm 219 rocks clockwise, through link 282, it similarly rocks plate 283, causing the pawl 281 to abut the abrupt, radial, end of a tooth 286a of disk 286 and thereafter to turn disk 286. Since disk 286 is fixed to the hub 284 integral with stacker table 236, the rotation of disk 286 is communicated to the stacker table. The step of rotation of stacker table 236 is determined by the stroke of pawl-carrying plate 283, which, in turn, is

governed by the contour of cam 215. The move ment of plate 283, as governed by cam 215, is slightly more than one-eighth of a circle, but pawl 28! does not engage the abrupt side of a tooth 299a until after the plate 283 has moved a slight amount. Thereafter, pawl 28'! acts on the tooth 286a engaged thereby to rotate disk 286 and the stacker table for one-eighth of a revolution.

On the return stroke of plate 283, pawl 28'! rotates over a tooth 286a. and at the end of the return stroke is safely behind the back of the tooth.

In above manner, during the one-revolution of driven shaft 266, stacker table 230 is given oneeighth of a turn. There are eight pockets on the table, so that during this eighth turn, the filled pocket is moved out of the card-receiving station and the following empty pocket moved to the receiving station.

It may be noted that as the stacker table is being rotated, the stack of cards on platform 242-243 prevents rise of the platform until the stack is entirely off the platform. At the time the stack leaves the platform, the wall 23! b of f' the angle bar 23! engaging the rear long edges of the cards of the stack has just passed the eX tremity of platform plate 243 and the inclined edge 23!c (see Fig.7) of this bar is directly across this platform plate and in its path of upward movement. Consequently, the platform rise is now governed by its engagement with the aforesaid inclined edge. As the stacker table completes its step of rotation, the inclined edge gradually withdraws from the platform and during its withdrawal, the platform rises with plate 243 engaging the inclined edge until this edge is completed past the platform plate. Thus, engagement of the platform with edge 23!c governs rise of the platform, causing the rise to be effected gradually'and concomitantly with rotation of the stacker table.

Means are provided to prevent overthrow of the table during its rotational step and to positively arrest the table when. its step has been completed. The overthrow-preventing means includes a rod 299 pivotally connected at one end to table actuating plate 233 and passing through an opening in a lever 29! (see Figs. 6, 7 and 8). Lever 29! is a plate formed with a wide central portion through holes in which studs 292 pass with clearance to pivotally mount the lever on a fixed bracket 293. The end of lever 29!, opposite the end through which rod 290 passes, is bent to provide a lug 294 for engaging the rear wall of a notch 295 formed in the rim of the stacker table 230 and a part of which is occupied by the bar 232 which forms a defining element of a card stacking pocket. There are eight such notches 295, one for each of the bars 232 of the eight card pockets.

At opposite sides of plate lever 29! and encircling rod 290 are a pair of springs 296 and 29'!. Spring 296 lies between plate lever 29! and a ring 298 fastened to the free end of rod 299 while spring 29'! lies between a similar ring 299 and the plate lever.

In the normal position of table-actuating plate 283, spring 296 is effective to hold lever 29! in a position in which the lug 294 thereof is completely outside notch 295 and remote from the rim of stacker table 290. Spring 29'! is normally loose between lever 29! and ring 299.

During the cycle of one-revolution shaft 266, cam 215 causes clockwise movement (as viewed in Fig. 6) of plate 283, as previously described, to effect a step of rotation of stacker table 230. As plate 263 moves clockwise, it forces rod 290 to the right. During this movement of rod 290, its ring 299 compresses spring 29'! while ring 298 recedes from and gradually decompresses spring 296. During this time, table 230 is being rotated clockwise, and before the notch 295 of the pocket being moved to card receiving position reaches lug 294, the spring 29'! has been sufficiently compressed to overcome the resistance of spring 296 to clockwise movement of lever 29!. Until the table has nearly completed its rotational step, lug 294 rides on the arc of the table rim between successive notches 295. Then, when the table 250 has nearly finished its step of rotation, the next notch 295 reaches lug 294 which immediately springs into the notch to engage the rear wall of the notch and positively stop rotation of the table when the rotational step of the table is complete and the next empty pocket is in card-receiving position.

The actuating plate 283 then returns in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 15), actuating rod 290 to the left. During this return movement of the rod, the force of spring 29'! on lever 29! gradually lessens while the power of spring 296 increases to restore lever 29! to initial position with lug 294 external to the rim of stacker table 230.

To retain the stacker table impositively in position, each bar 232 of a stacker pocket is Vnotched in the bottom (see Figs. 7 and 8) to receive a roller 390 carried by the upper end of a plunger 392 slidably mounted in a socket 303 formed in the outer end of the casting 304 fixed to the frame. Casting 304 is formed with a collar 304a journaling hub 284 of the stacker table and supporting the table by engagement with the under surface of ratchet ring 286.

Within socket 393 and acting on plunger 302 is a spring 305. When a stacker pocket is at receiving station, the V-notched bottom of bar 232 is above roller 390 and spring 305 is holding the roller seated in the V-notch. By the means, the stacker table is releasably maintained in the position to which it has been moved by operation of actuating plate 283.

During the step of rotation of the stacker table, if, for any reason, the platform 242-243 is above the card supporting surface of the table before the rear wall 23 lb of the last-filled pocket has passed the platform, then the wall 23!b will engage the inclined front edge of plate 243and will cam the plate counterclockwise (Fig. 5) about its pivotal connection to plate 242 and against resistance of spring 244. This permits the wall to pass the platform under the stated condition, during the step of rotation of the stacker table.

During rotation of stacker table 230, it is desirable to raise fiappers 255 out of the way of the front edges of the advancing stack of cards. For this purpose, the top of a bar 395 outside of guide plate 2!2 underlies a stud 391 (see Figs. 2 and 3) on arm 2!! of shaft 256 of flappers 2 !5. The bar 396 rests, on a pin 398 along which the bar is adapted to slide. At its lower end, link 396 is pivoted to one end of an extension 339 of a lever 3!0 (also see Fig. '7). Lever 3!0 is pivoted at its upper end to guide plate 2l2 and has its lower portion projecting into the path of travel of the pins 3!!, each extending horizontally from the periphery of the table 230 adjacent each pocket defining bar 232. When a pocket is in card re- 'ceiving position, pin 311 is in the rear of lever 310. When the stacker table rotates, pin 311 engages lever 31!) and rocks the latter clockwise (Fig. 3) against resistance of a bent spring 312 looped around the pivot of the lever. When lever 31!) rocks clockwise, it raises bar 366 the top of which engages stud 301 to rock arm 211 and its shaft 216 clockwise, thereby raising flappers 215 above the top of, the card stack. After the front edges of the card stack have passed flappers 215, pin 311 rides off lever 31!! and the flappers may then return to normal positions when the rear end of the stack has passed.

During the step of movement of the stacker table, before the empty pocket following the lastfilled one reaches the card receiving station, the cards continue to drop from the conveying drum 141) along the guide plates 1% and 212 and the bars 209 and 214. There is no pocket in place, as yet, to receive these cards, and means are provided for catching these cards and holding them until the stacker table has finished its step of rotation and until the next empty pocket is at receiving station. The means for catching the cards during the transition from one pocket to the next is under control of the one-revolution shaft 266.

Near the lower end of shaft 266 (see Figs. 5,

9 and 10), the shaft rigidly carries a cam se ment 315. Engaging the cam 315 is the free end of a follower arm 316 integral with a sleeve 31'! rotatably supported by a vertical rod 318 fixedly carried by casing 231. Extending integrally from sleeve 31'1 oppositely to follower arm 316 is an arm 313 pivotally connected to one end of a rod 320 which freely passes through a bracket 321 secured to casing 26'! (Fig. Encircling rod 320 is a coil spring 322 urging arm 319 and sleeve 31'1 counterclockwise to maintain follower arm 316 engaged with cam 3 l 5.

During the cycle of one-revolution shaft 256, the shaft and cam 315 rotate counterclockwise. Cam 315 is so contoured as to permit a rapid movement of follower arm 316 from the outer end of the cam to the hub of the cam. Thus,

arm 323 consisting of a flat plate the outer or 1 free end of which is enlarged and bifurcated, with each furcation 323a projecting transversely and forwardly of the body of the arm.

The furcations 323a serve as a card catcher.

Before the cycle of one-revolution shaft 266 beconstituting a card catcher, Within the card receiving station, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Thus, the furcations 323a. immediately at the beginning of the cycle are located at the card receiving station to catch the cards dropping from the conveyor drum 141) during the transition period which is the interval in which the loaded pocket is moving out of card-receiving position and in which the next, empty, pocket is moving towards but has not yet reached the card-receiving position.

' As indicated in Fig. 2, the card catcher is in a horizontal plane clear above the top of pocket defining elements 231a and 2315 so as not to interfere with the movement of the elements. At the same time, the plane of the card catcher intersects the card guiding bar 2119 and the lower portion of guide plate 190.

However, the space between furcation 3230; of the card catcher receives bar 239 as the catcher moves to the card receiving station, so that bar 269 does not interfere with movement of the catcher. Also, the lower end of guide plate 153 is cut away along the path of movement of the card catcher so as not to interfere with movement of the catcher. When the card catcher is at the receiving station, .the bar 1911 is seated in the crotch between the rear furcation 323a and the connecting bridge between the furcations so as to abut and guide the rear long edges of the cards as they dropinto the card receiving station and onto furcations 323a. At the same time, depending projection 234 of guide plate 291) (see Fig. 12) extends above and below the catcher plane to abut and guide the left edge of the cards. Thus, during the transition from one stacker pocket to the next, the cards fall onto the card catcher furcations 323a in the same formation as when they are dropped directly into a stacker pocket.

Near the end of the cycle of shaft 266, when the empty stacker pocket has already reached the card receiving station, cam 3l5 comes around again to follower arm 316 and rapidly moves the latter to rock sleeve 31'! clockwise (Fig. 5). Thus, the card catcher 323a is quickly withdrawn to the rear of the card receiving station. "As

the catcher retreats from the card receiving station, bar 2119 and plate 190, respectively engaging the rear long edges and the left hand short edges of the cards on the catcher, prevent the latter cards from following the catcher, and when'the catcher has completely Withdrawn, these cards drop down in alinement into the pocket now at the card receiving station.

A stacker pocket should be unloaded by the operator before it again reaches the load receiving station. In the event the operator neglects to do this, automatic means are provided to stop the machine. When a loaded stacker pocket moves to a position two steps of rotation, behind the card stacking station, the card stack in this pocket engages the upper end of an arm 328 (see Figs. 1. and 5) secured to a pivot stud 30. Stud 30' dependently carries arm 31 connected intermediately to rod 32, which carries insulating plate 32'. As the table moves, the stack of cards engaged with arm 328 forces the arm to the right (Fig. 1), thereby rocking pivot 31) and de pendent arm 31 clockwise. As a result, rod 32 and plate 32 move to the left, against resistance of a spring 33, causing the plate to open contacts 34. Thi stops the machine, as will be explained later in connection with the circuit diagram, Fig. 13. To allow the machine to resume operations, the operator must first remove the stack of cards abutting arm 328.

The machine is powered by an electric motor M (Fig. 1) mounted on a base plate 3'15 hinged by a rod 3'16 to the top of the frame. A pulley 311 on the motor shaft is connected by a driving belt 3'18 to a pulley 3'19 on a shaft 381). Pulley 3'19 drives the various gear trains for actuating the several mechanisms of the machine described hereinbefore.

A link 382 is connected at its upper end to base plate 315 of motor M and at its lower end to a lever 383 having an arm 383a extending horizontally. Lever 383 is fixed to a shaft 384 provided with a manual operating rod 385. When the machine is running, arm 333a is supported by the top of the vertical arm of a bell crank latch 386. In this position of arm 383a, lever 383 is at its counterclockwise limit, link 382 is raised, and base plate 315 of motor M is rocked clockwise about hinge pin 316. As a result, drivin belt 318 is tightened to communicate rotation of motor shaft pulley 311 to driven pulley 319 for the various gearing.

When latch 386 is rocked clockwise (Fig. 1) the upper end of the latch slips off arm 383a, permitting the arm 383a to drop to the position shown in Fig. 1. Correspondingly motor M drops of its own weight, thereby loosening belt 318, disablin it from driving pulley 319. This disconnection of the motor from the driven mechanism occurs when the motor circuit is broken, as will be described, and effectively stops operation of the driven mechanism during the coasting of the motor before the latter comes to a complete stop.

The pertinent electrical part of the machine will now be explained, with reference particularly to the circuit diagram, Fig. 13. A three-phase alternating current supply is provided through lines Ll, L2, and L3. By depressing start key ST, start key contacts ST are closed to form the following circuit:

Start circuit.-From line L3, through contacts ST, stop key contacts SP (opened by depressing stop key SP at will), previously mentioned contacts 34, safety contacts 391a, controlled by a coil 39!, through a coil 392 and through safety contacts 393a controlled by a coil 393, to line Ll.

This circuit energizes coil 392 to move switch rod 394 to the left against resistance of a spring 395, causing points 394a to connect line L3 to a line 396, shunting start key contacts ST out of the start circuit.

At the same time, points 3941) connect line L3 to the motor M through coil 39!, points 3940 connect line L2 to the motor, while points 394d connect line LI to the motor through coil 393.

In the event of an overload of current, coils 391 and 393 will be energized to such an extent as to respectively open contacts 39la and 3930., thereby opening the circuit of coil 392 to cause the switch rod 394 to return to open position.

Contacts 34, when opened, also break the circuit of coil 392 to cause switch rod 394 to move to open position. As previously explained, contacts 34 are automatically opened under control of a stack of cards on stacker table 230 when such stack engages arm 328 in the event the operator has neglected to remove the stack. When contacts 34 are opened, the circuit of coil 392 breaks, causing switch rod 394 to move to open position for breaking the motor circuits.

When opening the motor circuits to stop operation of motor M, driving belt 318 is also loosened by releasing latch 385 from arm 38311. of lever 383 (Fig. 1) Latch 38B is controlled by a solenoid 418. As shown in the circuit diagram, Fig. 13, solenoid 4H1 is directly across opposite lines 398 and 399, and. therefore, remains energized while switch bar 394 is in closed position. and motor M is running. When contacts 34 are opened or when the safety contacts. 391a and 393a open, then magnet 392 is deenergized, switch bar 394 moves to open position, and the current is taken off lines 398 and 399. As a result, solenoid 4H1 is deenergized, permitting spring 4 to rock latch 389 clockwise (Fig. 1), thereby withdrawing its support from arm 383a of lever 383. Consequently, the motor M and its base plate 315 drop, causing driving belt 318 to loosen. The driving connection of motor M to the gearing of the machine is thereby released while at the same time the motor, its circuit having been broken coasts to a stop.

To resume machine operation, the start key ST is again depressed to close contacts ST for establishing the start circuit. The motor will thereby be set running, and at the same time solenoid 4"! will be energized, but latch 386 cannot move to latching position because the front of arm 383a is in the way. Belt 318, therefore, is still loose so that the motor at the start is not operating various gear trains of the machine. To tighten belt 318, the operator manually actuates handle 385 fixed to shaft 384 of lever 383 to rock the lever counterclockwise (Fig. 1), gradually tightening the belt to effect a gradual acceleration of the operation of the machine to its full speed. This permits latch 388 to move beneath arm 383a to retain the lever 383 in counterclockwise position, in which belt 318 is tightened to communicate operation of motor M to the driven gearing.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine such as described, a movable stacker including a stacker pocket adapted while at a stacking station for staking articles such as cards or the like, a structure movable to and fro for striking the articles to aline them in the stack, means for moving the stacker to remove the stacker pocket from the stacking station, and means operable as an incident to the movement of the stacker for moving the structure out of the way of the stack in the pocket.

2. In a machine such as defined in claim 1, the means for moving the structure out of the way of the stack comprising means carried by the stacker and means associated with the structure and adapted to be operated by the means carried by the stacker only when the stacker is moved to withdraw the pocket from the stacking station.

3. In a machine of the class described; a movable stacker, for cards or the like, having a plurality of stacking pockets for making a circuit past a stacking station, means for stacking cards or the like in an empty pocket while at the stacking station, and means controlled by a stack in a filled pocket at a point of its circuit in advance of the stacking station for interrupting operation of the machine to prevent a filled pocket from reaching said station.

4. In combination; a stacker for cards or the like having a plurality of stacker pockets successively locatable at a receiving station, means for stacking the cards or the like in the pocket at the receiving station, actuating means for actuating the stacker one step at a time, each step for bringing a new pocket to the receiving station, and pressure responsive means engageable by the stack of cards or the like in the pocket at the receiving station and responsive to a given pressure of the stack for controlling the actuating mean to effect a step of actuation of the stacker to remove the filled pocket from and bring the next pocket to the receiving station.

5. In combination; a movable stacker having a stacking pocket locatable at a receiving station, means for delivering articles, such as cards or the like, to the pocket while at the receiving station to stack up therein, a device movably supported independently of the stacker and located at the receiving station and operated in response to engagement of the articles stacking in the pocket, and means controlled by operation of said device for actuating the stacker to remove the pocket from the receiving station.

6. In a machine of the class described; a stacker for articles, such as cards or the like, having a stacking pocket locatable at a receiving station, means for delivering said articles in succession to the pocket while at the receiving station to stack up therein, a movable device having a portion located within the area of the pocket at the receiving station and moved by the stacked articles in the latter pocket, to an extent depending on the size of the stack, and means controlled by a given extent of movement of the device for actuating the stacker to remove the pocket from the receiving station.

7. In a machine of the class described; a card stacker having a stacking pocket locatable at an article receiving station, means for delivering articles in succession to the pocket at the receiving station, a weight responsive platform at the receiving station and on which the cards delivered to the pocket at the station stack up, and means controlled by the response of the platform to the weight of cards stacked thereon for regulating the size of the stack.

8. In a machine of the class described; a card stacker having a plurality of stacking pockets successively locatable at a receiving station, means for delivering articles in succession to the pocket at the receiving station to be stacked in the latter pocket, a device movably supported separately from the stacker and having a portion located Within the area of the pocket at the receiving station to be engaged by the stack of articles in the latter pocket for causing movement of the device, and means controlled by the movement of said device for actuating the stacker relative to the device to remove the filled pocket from the receiving station and to bring the next pocket to said station.

9. In combination, a movable mounted stacker including an article holder locatable at a receiving station to receive articles such as cards or the like, a cyclical actuating means for the stacker, pressure responsive means engaged by a stack of articles received by the holder at the receiving station and responsive to the pressure of the stack thereagainst, and means controlled by the pressure responsive means in response to a given pressure of the stack for initiating a cycle of the actuating means to move the stacker so as to remove the article holder and stack received thereby from the receiving station.

10. The combination as defined in claim 9, with said stacker having a plurality of successive holders and said pressure responsive means being common to all the holders and mounted separately from the stacker in position to abut the stack of articles received by the holder at the receiving station, and said cycle of the actuating means bringing a new holder to the receiving station as the preceding holder is removed therefrom.

11. The combination as defined in claim 9, said pressure responsive means comprising a gravitational-pressure responsive support underlying the stack of articles receivedby the holder at the receiving station.

12. In combination, means for delivering articles at a stacking station, a movable stacker with a plurality of successive article holders locatable successively at said station, means for moving the stacker in one direction to locate one holder after another at said station to receive the article being delivered thereat, and an auxiliary article receiver separate from the stacker for receiving the articles .as they are being delivered at said station during the interval between departure of one holder from the station and arrival of the next holder thereat, said auxiliary re ceiver being normally displaced from the station, means for causing movement of the receiver to the station during the aforesaid interval and the return of the receiver to normally displaced position after the interval, and stationary means abutting the articles received by the receiver to prevent their following the receiver to said displaced position and thereby to cause their transfer to the holder newly arrived at the stacking station.

13. In combination, a movable stacker including an article holder locatable at an article delivery station to receive articles being delivered thereat, driving mechanism, cyclical driven mechanism, clutching means therebetween, means for rendering the clutching means efiective to effect a cycle of the driven mechanism, means operated thereby during its cycle for moving the stacker to remove the holder from said station, an auxiliary article receiver having a position remote from said station, and means operated by the driven mechanism during its cycle for moving the auxiliary receiver to the sta-, tion to receive the articles being delivered thereat as the said holder is being removed from the station;

14. The combination as defined in claim 13, the stacker having a plurality of such holders successively locatable at the station and each cycle of the driven mechanism locating one,

holder at the station as the preceding holder is being removed therefrom, and means for causing the articles on the auxiliary receiver to be transferred to the holder newly arrived at the station to be stacked with articles directly, delivered thereto.

15. The combination as defined in claim 13, and pressure responsive means at the delivery station engaged by a stack of articles received by the holder at the station and responsive to a given pressure of the stack for initiating operation of the said means which renders the clutching means effective.

16. In a machine of the class described, a continuously unidirectionally movable conveyor for bringing articles one after another to a discharge station and uninterruptedly discharging them at said station, a movable stacker haying a plurality of successive article holders locatable successively at said station to receive the articles directly from the conveyor as they are discharged and to stack the received articles, an auxiliary article receiver separate from the stacker and disposed in a position remote from the discharge station during the discharge of the articles to an article holder of the stacker, cyclical means effective during a cycle to remove a filled article holder from said station and to bring the next holder to the station and also efiective during said cycle for first moving the auxiliary article receiver from its position remote from the station to a position at the station for receiving the articles directly from the said conveyor as they are discharged during the transition period between removal of the filled pocket from and arrival of the next pocket at the station and for then returning the auxiliary receiver to its remote position concomitantly with arrival of said next article holder at the station, and means operation of which is determined by the quantity of articles in the holder at said station for initiating said cycle of the cyclical means.

17. The machine as set forth in claim 16, said auxiliary receiver being mounted for movement transversely to the discharge station from its remote position to its position thereat and then back to its remote position, and means whereby during transverse return movement of the auxiliary receiver back to its remote position the articles received thereby are transferred to the article holder newly arrived at the discharge sta- 10 tion.

FRED M. CARROLL. 

